Digital jukebox device with karaoke and/or photo booth features, and associated methods

• US 10,225,593 B2
• Filed: 09/30/2013
• Issued: 03/05/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TouchTunes Music Corporation (The Octave Music Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: TouchTunes Music Corporation (The Octave Music Group, Inc.)
• Inventors: Rivera, Ed, Tooker, Michael, Guy, Francois, Beaumier, Francois, Battle, Charles, Khenfir, Mounir, Garneau, Charles
• Primary Examiner(s): Diep, Nhon T
• Application Number:
  US14/041,309
• Publication Number:
  US 20140053217A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,982 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/123 Shopping for digital content
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/145 Payments according to the detected use or quantity
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/384 using social networks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0621 Item configuration or customization
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/16 for devices exhibiting advertisements, announcements, pictures or the like
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/305 for record players
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/365 the accompaniment information being stored on a host computer and transmitted to a reproducing terminal by means of a network, e.g. public telephone lines
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/106 using icons, e.g. selecting, moving or linking icons, on-screen symbols, screen regions or segments representing musical elements or parameters
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2230/015 PDA [personal digital assistant] or palmtop computing devices used for musical purposes, e.g. portable music players, tablet computers, e-readers or smart phones in which mobile telephony functions need not be used touch-screen interfaces G10H2220/096
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/002 Programmed access in sequence to a plurality of record carriers or indexed parts, e.g. tracks, thereof, e.g. for editing; transfer of record carriers from magazine G11B15/68, G11B17/10; G11B17/22
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/031 Electronic editing of digitised analogue information signals, e.g. audio or video signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2143 located in a single building, e.g. hotel, hospital or museum arrangements specially adapted for plural spots in a confined site in broadcast systems H04H20/63; adaptations for transmission by electric cable for domestic distribution in television systems H04N7/106
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2543 Billing , e.g. for subscription services payment schemes, architectures or protocols G06Q20/00; e-commerce G06Q30/00; arrangements for billing for the use of broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/21
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4112 having fewer capabilities than the client, e.g. thin client having less processing power or no tuning capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4122 additional display device, e.g. video projector digital output for controlling a plurality of local displays G06F3/1423
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41265 having a remote control device for bidirectional communication between the remote control device and client device unidirectional remote control device H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42203 sound input device, e.g. microphone
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4223 Cameras H04N23/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4302 : Content synchronisation processes, e.g. decoder synchronisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4312 : involving specific graphical features, e.g. screen layout, special fonts or colors, blinking icons, highlights or animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/439 : Processing of audio elementary streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4788 : communicating with other users, e.g. chatting arrangements for providing for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms, to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1813; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8113 : comprising music, e.g. song in MP3 format

Abstract

Certain exemplary embodiments relate to entertainment systems and, more particularly, certain exemplary embodiments relate to jukebox systems that incorporate digital downloading jukebox features along with karaoke jukebox and/or photo booth features. A combined karaoke/photo booth/jukebox may enable more integrated performance-like experiences in an in-home or out-of-home location or venue. By leveraging vast audio media libraries, trusted rights-respecting network infrastructure, and on-site image/video capturing from integrated recorders and/or remote portable devices, a more sociable experience may be created for karaoke jukebox patrons, e.g., where custom content can be generated and shared in a safe and legally appropriate manner.

Claims

1. A method of generating a file corresponding to a performance in which a performer sings a song with backup instrumentation played from a stored audio visual data file, the method comprising:

receiving audiovisual data of the performance captured from a portable user device, the audiovisual data including first audio data and first video data;

receiving audio-only data of the performance, the audio-only data having a quality higher than the first audio data and being collected from a microphone of a performer of the performance, wherein the microphone of a karaoke jukebox is configured to minimize background noise in the received audio-only data;

digitally combining the first audio data and the audio-only data such that the first audio data is partially replaced with the audio-only data in order to produce a new audiovisual data file with user-generated video content from the received audiovisual data synchronized with high-quality audio content based on a common time reference value; and

providing for subsequent repeated performing of the produced new audiovisual data file under control of the karaoke jukebox while tracking rights and/or royalty sharing associated with the new audio visual data file, wherein the rights and/or royalty sharing associated with the new audio visual data file include rights and/or royalty sharing associated with vocal elimination and replacement and are different from rights and/or royalty sharing associated with the stored audio visual data file.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising retaining at least some of the first audio data so that ambient noise is present in the high-quality audio.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the audio-only data includes backup music from a jukebox and vocals from a microphone connected to the jukebox.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the digital combining further includes introducing into the audiovisual data file images and/or video captured by one or more cameras of the jukebox.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the audio-only data includes music from a live musical concert being attended by a user of the portable user device.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the audiovisual data is captured in connection with a dedicated application, running on the portable user device, that is pre-programmed and customized for the specific live musical concert being attended by the user of the portable user device.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the audiovisual data is captured in connection with a dedicated application, running on the portable user device, that is preprogrammed and customized for recording live musical concerts in general.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising uploading the new audiovisual data file to a server.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising making the new audiovisual data file available via a social networking site following the uploading.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the performance is a karaoke performance performed by a karaoke performer.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

enabling a user to check in to a venue where the performance is taking, or is going to, take place via an application running on the portable user device operated by the user; and

developing the common time reference value as between the venue and the portable user device as a result of said check in.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the audio-only data is captured through an audio mixing board at the venue that is not operated by the user.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising applying digital effects to the audio-only data captured through the audio mixing board.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the first audio data is low-quality audio data of the performance captured via a microphone that is attached to or integral with the portable user device.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising blending into the audio-only data, at a predetermined non-zero level, the first audio data.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the live performance is a karaoke performance performed by a karaoke performer.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising determining how well the karaoke performer is performing by comparing aspects of the audio-only data against a dominant melody line and/or a rhythm for the song being performed.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising generating a score for the performance based on the determination.

19. The method according to claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

calculating how well the performer is performing by comparing aspects of the received audio-only data against corresponding predetermined aspects for the song being performed, and

selectively digitally modifying aspects, including during the performance a volume of the microphone, of the received audio-only data based on the calculating, before the digitally combining.

20. A digital processing system configured to generate a file corresponding to a performance in which a performer sings a song with backup instrumentation played from a stored audio visual data file in a karaoke jukebox, comprising:

a network connection over which audiovisual data of the performance captured by a user operating a portable user device is received, the audiovisual data including first audio data and first video data, the user being a spectator-attendee at the performance;

a data store comprising audio-only data received from the performance, the audio-only data having a quality higher than the first audio data and being collected from a microphone of a performer of the performance, wherein the microphone is configured to minimize background noise in the received audio-only data; and

processing resources configured to;

digitally combine the first audio data and the audio-only data such that the first audio data is in effect partially replaced with the audio-only data in order to produce a new audiovisual data file with user-generated video content synchronized with high-quality audio content based on a common time reference value; and

provide for subsequent repeated performing of the produced new audiovisual data file under control of the karaoke jukebox while tracking rights and/or royalty sharing associated with the new audio visual data file, wherein the rights and/or royalty sharing associated with the new audio visual data file include rights and/or royalty sharing associated with vocal elimination and replacement and are different from rights and/or royalty sharing associated with the stored audio visual data file.

21. The system of claim 20, further comprising a synchronization module configured to generate the common time reference value in connection with the portable user device.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein the processing resources are further configured to reduce a sound level of at least some of the first audio data so that ambient noise obtained by the portable user device is present in the new audiovisual data file.

23. The system of claim 20, wherein the audio-only data includes music from a live musical concert being attended by the user of the portable user device.

24. The system of claim 20, wherein backup music from a jukebox and vocals from a microphone connected to the jukebox are blended in with audio-only data.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the digital combining further includes images and/or video captured by one or more cameras of the jukebox.

26. The system of claim 24, further comprising a server from which the new audiovisual data file is downloadable.

27. The system of claim 24, further comprising an interface to an external social networking site, the interface being operable to make available for download and/or playback the new audiovisual data file.

28. The system of claim 20, wherein an application running on the portable user device is configured to cause the portable user device to capture low-quality audio data corresponding to a karaoke performance via a microphone thereof.

29. A method of generating a file corresponding to a performance in which a performer sings a song with backup instrumentation played from a stored audio visual data file in a karaoke jukebox, the method comprising:

enabling a user to check in to a venue where the performance is taking, or is going to, take place via an application running on a portable user device operated by the user;

developing a common time reference value as between the venue and the portable user device as a result of said check in;

receiving audiovisual data of the performance captured using the portable user device and the application running thereon, the audiovisual data including first audio data and first video data;

receiving audio-only data of the performance, the audio-only data having a quality higher than the first audio data and being collected from a microphone of a performer of the performance, wherein the microphone is configured to minimize background noise in the received audio-only data;

digitally combining the first audio data and the audio-only data such that the first audio data is partially replaced with the audio-only data in order to produce a new audiovisual data file with user-generated video content from the received audiovisual data synchronized with high-quality audio content based on a common time reference value; and

providing for subsequent repeated performing of the produced new audiovisual data file under control of the karaoke jukebox while tracking rights and/or royalty sharing associated with the new audio visual data file, wherein the rights and/or royalty sharing associated with the new audio visual data file include rights and/or royalty sharing associated with vocal elimination and replacement and are different from rights and/or royalty sharing associated with the stored audio visual data file,

wherein the application is pre-programmed and customized for recording live musical concerts and/or karaoke performances.

30. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium tangibly storing a program comprising instructions that, when executed, implement the method of claim 29.

31. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium tangibly storing a program comprising instructions that, when executed by a processor of a karaoke jukebox device, at least:

process audiovisual data of a performance captured by a portable user device, the audiovisual data including first audio data and first video data;

process audio-only data of the performance in which a performer sings a song with backup instrumentation played from a stored audio visual data file in the karaoke jukebox captured from a microphone separate from and not connected to the portable user device, the audio-only data having a quality higher than the first audio data and being collected from a microphone of a performer of the performance, wherein the microphone is configured to minimize background noise in the received audio-only data;

digitally combine the first audio data and the audio-only data such that the first audio data is partially replaced with the audio-only data in order to produce a new audiovisual data file with user-generated video content synchronized with high-quality audio content based on a common time reference value; and

repeatedly perform the produced new audiovisual data file under control of the karaoke jukebox while tracking rights and/or royalty sharing associated with the new audio visual data file, wherein the rights and/or royalty sharing associated with the new audio visual data file include rights and/or royalty sharing associated with vocal eliminations and replacement and are different from rights and/or royalty sharing associated with the stored audio visual data file.